Carnival lovers packed Lionel Roberts Stadium on Sunday evening to hail the crowning of a new prince and princess for V.I. Carnival 2000. Couple No. 3, Stephanie Brathwaite and Greglan Ward, triumphed over two other couples to win the title at the end of the four-hour competition.
The winning duo was also awarded prizes for the Evening Wear, Talent, Intellect and Photogenic competitions, and Stephanie was named Most Cooperative Princess. Alberto Benjamin, the prince contestant for Couple No. 1, was named Most Cooperative Prince.
The winners beamed as they received their congratulations. Prince Greglan thanked his supporters for encouraging him through every phase of the competition. Princess Stephanie, who works for a local modeling agency, said she enjoyed her contest experience.
As they received their crowns and sashes, the new prince and princess were congratulated by their 1999 predecessors, Stedson and Sayeeda Wallace, and reigning Carnival Queen Shani Smith. Six contestants will vie for Smith's crown at the Queen Talent and Selection Show next Saturday night.
The competition was brisk among the three sets of contestants and the live stage show moved through its paces with few delays. Teams of stagehands rushed props and painted sets into place as the contestants flowed smoothly from segment to segment.
The youngsters enlivened their fashion segments with props and action. Couple No. 2, Beige Aradou and Martin Huggins, donned in-line skates to showcase their skating costumes. Couple No. 1, Kalida Mayers and Alberto, rode in on wooden hobby horses to model their matching rodeo sportswear. Stephanie and Greglan came onstage aboard a pair of go-carts to show off patent leather jumpsuits with ultra modern helmets.
In keeping with this year's V.I. Carnival theme, "Jump Up and Sway It's Carnival for Y2K," some computer technology appeared in the presentations. In the talent segment, Greglan portrayed Gov. Charles Turnbull pondering how to finance Carnival 2000. Stephanie came to save the day as a helpful Y2K Bug. Beige portrayed an animated floppy disc who led Martin through a series of hard-drive ports as he researched a school paper on dance through the eras.
The winning evening wear featured a classic boy's formal tailcoat with white shirt and trousers in a linen/silk blend. Stephanie emerged from a red satin-lined rocket ship as a galactic princess in a two-tiered, floor-length white silk organza and tulle evening gown imported from Puerto Rico, festooned with pearls and prism beads that captured the stadium stagelight colors.
Prince and Princess Committee chair Frances Roberts, who has spent 16 years working with young competitors in the annual contest, said there were nine applicants for princess this year, but not enough applicants for prince to provide them all partners. It's harder to coax the boys to display the kind of confidence they need to compete and win, she said.
"Some of the little boys, they are intimidated by their friends," she said. "Some of them think it's little-girly stuff." But once the young men commit to being contestants, she added, they get into the spirit of things.
"Some of them, they're a little timid at first, but as the months go on, everybody comes together, and you can see the gentleman in them come out," Roberts said.
